"The fact is, that picture is, by definition, not helpful," Gingrich said, adding that he planned to spend the next few months studying where Republicans erred in this election cycle and "what we didn't understand about how America's evolving and changing."

"I think we were so wrong this year as a party that we need to fundamentally rethink what we're doing, not just have the newest glib answer from the same guys who were wrong," he said.